Portable electric lantern



Dec. 27, 1949 J. s. KOBLAS PORTABLE ELECTRIC LANTERN Filed April 5, 1948 Fig. I 5b 70, l 68 66 5 46 86 ii Fig. 3 75 Jo/m 5. Kala/as INVENTOR.

Wynn m Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE ELECTRIC LANTERN John S. Kblas, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application April 5, 1948, Serial No. 19,072

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to lamps, and more particularly to a portable electric lantern designed to provide illumination when required, and alternatively to function as a caution or safety light.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a lantern which can be used alternatively as mentioned in the preceding sentence, the specific field of use for which this invention is designed being that of a lantern to be carried by a motorist, the lantern when used as a source of illumination serving to facilitate the changing of a tire or making other emergency repairs on the road, while a separately controlled flashing lamp is either simultaneously or alternatively provided for warning other motorists.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable electric. lantern which is comprised of relatively few and simple parts which are simple to assemble, so that the lantern is easily serviced and maintained in repair.

Still another object of this invention is toprovide a portable lantern with flexible power lead lines or cord terminating in a male contact member for insertion in the socket of a cigarette lighter on the dashboard of an automobile.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable electric lantern in which a hollow base, a hollow cylindrical translucent globe and a top cap are combined in a novel manner with a cage for the lantern.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a lantern which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which is extremely safe, simple and convenient as well as versatile in use, and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of con: struction, combination and arrangement of ele ments and portions as will be hereinafter described in' the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and. in which:

Figure 1 is a three dimensional view of the assembled lantern;

Figure 2 is a horizontal transverse sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view taken substantially on a vertical plane through the line 33 in Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections in this electric lantern.

Similar characters of reference designate simone of the tiers 12 for manual control, and the fiasher and fuse being referably mounted upon ilar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views in the drawing.-

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the environment wherewith this invention is adapted tobe used includes an automotive vehicle having a cigarette lighter socket, ordinarily located on the dashboard of the vehicle, it being understood that other electrical contacts for use with other types of electrical connections may be used with this invention which is not limited to the combination thereof with a cigarette lighter socket.

The lantern is comprised of a hollow base [0, preferably constructed of arcuately configurated tiers I2, a neck portion 14, a plurality of leg members l6, and an in-turned flange l8 to which is secured a transverse plate member 20. The neck portion I4 is'provided with another transverse plate member .22 adapted to support the socket 24 in which is removably mounted an electric lamp 26. One of the tiers i2 is apertured to receive an insulating grommet 28 and an electric cord- 30 extends therethrough and terminates in a male contact member 32 adapted to be inserted intothe socket of a cigarette lighter or the like,

' ordinarily provided on an automotive vehicle and not thought necessary to be illustrated in the drawings. The socket 24 and lamp 26 are connected in series with the switch 34, a flasher 36 and a fuse 38, the switch 34 being mounted on the transverse member 20.

A translucent hollow cylindrical globe 40, 'preferably red in color and having a roughened, un-

dulating or diamond-cut surface, is undercut at the lower end thereof to fit inside the neck portion l4 and a gasket 42 is inserted between the inner, depending flange portion 44 of the globe 40 and the upper inner surface of the said neck.

The upper, end of the globe 4G is constructed in similar manner and is similarly fitted within the downwardly extending lip portion 46 of the cap 48 which is of irregular shape with the lower end portion configurated to fit snugly upon the globe 40 while the upper end of the cap is formed with a pair of bosses 50 and 52.

The boss 50 is removably secured, as by a center post and thumb nut indicated at 53, to the convergent upper ends of the members 54 forming a portion of what will be referred to herein as the cage. This cage also comprises substantially horizontally disposed members 56 which are welded in vertically spaced relation to the members 54. The lowermost of the members 56 rests, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3, upon an intermediate portion of the base In, and a bolt 58 extends from the boss 52 downwardly through the cap 48 and through the globe 40 for connection by means of a wing nut 60 with the transverse plate member 20 which is, of course, apertured to receive the lower end of the bolt 58. It will thus be seen how the cage is made an integral portion of the frame of the lantern, while the actual'intercor'inectilon of the'cap 48; and the base 10 is made relatively independent of the globe 40, so that undue strains are not applied thereto. A bail 62 is pivoted on an upper intermediate portion of the cage'fahda fliedhandle 64 is also secured to an mtermediate por; tion of this cage so that the lantern maybe carried by either the bail or handle.

The cap 48 is apertured on one side thereof and a reflector which will ordinarily be "'substantially parabolic will be welded or otherwise cated at 56. A lens sais secured-the cap 1'8- to cover the aperture there'ifi'fifidtb'cooperate with the reflector'bli anda lamp 'Hll to supply steady illumination whe'n'reduii'ed; 'Ilna 'lamp"I ll is removabl'y' mouh'tedin aco'nv'ention'al socket; 12- carried by the reflectance; and a' supporting brace 14 maybe weldedo'n'the cap 48'td further support thi's'socket 'l 2--'arid-the'refiector '66. "A suitable complement of eIec'tric lead wires Hi connect this socketlZ' to a switch 18- mounted on the cap to terminals on'the'fiasher and on the switch 34, it being understoodthat the exact means of wiring this lantern need not beadhered toin order to implement this invention. However, a suitable wiring diagram is illustrated in Figure 4, the contact pieces 80re'presenting the side andcenter terminals of the cigarette lighter socket.

referred to above, the battery 82 representing any.

circuit .of the flasher .376, whilel the. lamp "I will provide a steady; illumination, directable by. the. motorist as. 'requiredby simplyw shifting: the..-

lantern so that the. light from the. lamp HlQis beamed in the desired.'direction.. A..disc. 86, in dicated in Figures Iv and,2, may; be inserted, ii'desired, in the base of the cap 48, the undersurface of this disc, being highly po'lishedfin order to." ns ve li ht. from. thenlamplfi.

The operation of thislinvention Will be..clearly understood from the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, 'taken in c onnec tion with the above recitation of the objects fitted on said base, a cap closing the upper end -of said globe, a cage encircling said globe and secured tosaid cap, and means extending through sfaidglobe afi'cls'ecuring said cap to said base, said base having a transverse member, and said means comprising a bolt terminally secured to said cap and to said transverse member, said cap having flector nd'within saidfglobe. i"

'2. A portable electric lantern'including a hollow base, a hollow cylindrical translucent globe fitted said, l be we, nereag ad lobe nd el. cured to i we nd mee eex smina r u h said globe and securing said capto said base,

a a'sef' i af' la' sv'e fmembe a d as means. s eej b ie mirally e r to Said Cap to s i traesverse emb ai cap having areeess at one side, a reflector cured to thecap in said recesS, lensclosing said recess, and "electric? lamps 'operative ly mounted on said refiector and within said globe,

said'flamps" being separately connected: through control switches: andni'bir'bfiit' through the lamp with the globe including 'aflasher." v

3. The combination Ufa lantern according to claim 2 and an electric cord connectedat one end in circuits throughboth said lamps"Iand term'i nating at the'other en'df'in' a male bd ta'ct m lber insertable in the sock'et'of-fa cigfar lighte'r on an automobile, said 'cap being ch'nstructd of sheet material and said cag 'being' extended to encompass said-cap and'lens."

REFERENCES. CIT-ED The following references are of record in the le 9 as ate t I UNITED; STATES; PATENTS 

